Eastrea

Coordinates: 52°33′22″N 0°05′20″W / 52.556°N 0.089°W / 52.556; -0.089

Eastrea is a village in Cambridgeshire, located on the A605 between Whittlesey and Coates. The site has been inhabited since Roman times.

History

There was once a church in the village, lost in the 18th century, as well as a chapel which still stands today, albeit converted for commercial use. The first official wedding there took place on 27 September 1927. The village also had a railway station (Eastrea railway station) from 1845 until 1866, as well as a shop which closed in the 1980s.

Eastrea was formerly the home of two public houses, The Windmill and The Nags Head. The Windmill was demolished in the mid 20th century and it was hoped that the site would be used for a new village hall; such plans never came to fruition. In 2010 the owners of The Nag's Head sought planning approval to convert the pub into houses, citing a significant downturn in business as the main reason for doing so. However, Fenland District Council refused permission, stating that 'financial loss is no reason to allow the conversion of a pub', which was described as 'the beating heart of the community' by locals and regulars.